The Department of Art & Culture, History, and Antiquity of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is seeking to appoint an Assistant Professor (tenure track) in Medieval History. Starting date is 1 April 2022. As a member of the Cultural and Religious History Group, the successful applicant will play a central role in teaching our courses on European Medieval History. 30% of working time will be available for research. VU historians are actively involved in the CLUE+ Research Institute for Culture, Cognition, History, and Heritage, the HDC Centre for Religious History, and in national and international research networks and schools.

Your duties

• teaching and developing several courses, in particular the basic introductions to European Medieval History for first-year students within the bachelor programmes Geschiedenis (Dutch) and History & International Studies (English), as well as in our MA programmes
• contributions to other courses in our History programmes and possibly also in the joint VU-UvA Humanities programme at Amsterdam University College (AUC)
• supervision and co-evaluation of bachelor's and master's theses
• initiating and performing outstanding research leading to new publications
• preparing or participating in the writing of grant applications
• administrative or management tasks, including an active role in recruiting new students

• a PhD degree in Medieval History
• a proven track record of independent research in Medieval History, with a broad view of political, social, cultural, religious, and intellectual history, including the role of the Middle Ages in later periods of history and historiography, as demonstrated by publications and presentations; a domain expertise which is integrated in long-term historical and multi-disciplinary approaches
• teaching experience in European Medieval History (as evidenced by a list of courses taught and by excellent teaching evaluations) as well as a teaching qualification (BKO/UTQ or similar), or a willingness to obtain such qualification within the first two years of appointment
• the ability to communicate and teach in English (CEFR C1 level for reading, listening, writing, speaking)
• the ability to communicate and teach in Dutch or willingness to learn Dutch within two years (CEFR C1 level for reading, listening, writing, speaking)
• competence in the use of computational research methods, in addition to traditional scholarship, and willingness to further develop skills in digital history, will be considered a great advantage

Fixed-term contract: 5 years.

We offer a tenure-track position at the level of Assistant Professor initially for the duration of 5 years, starting at 1 April 2022. Tenure can be achieved if the faculty criteria for Assistant Professor are fulfilled. For the duration of the tenure track, performance will be evaluated in terms of teaching, publication record, attempts to acquire research funding either individually or in consortia, academic service and valorisation. After a successful evaluation, permanent employment will be granted.

On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of € 3,807 (scale 11) and a maximum € 5,211 (scale 11), depending on your education and experience. The job profile is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for 0.7 FTE.

Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• child daycare facilities available on campus
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor - from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 26,000 students. We employ over 4,600 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

Faculty of Humanities
The Faculty of Humanities links a number of fields of study: Language, Literature and Communication, Art & Culture, History, Antiquities and Philosophy. Our teaching and research focus on current societal and scientific themes: from artificial intelligence to visual culture, from urbanization to the history of slavery, from 'fake news' in journalism to communication in organizations. We strive to ensure small group sizes. Innovative education and interdisciplinary research are our hallmarks.

Working at the Faculty of Humanities means making a real contribution to the quality of leading education and research in an inspiring and personal work and study climate. We employ more than 250 staff members, and we are home to around 1,300 students.

Medieval History at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Medieval History at VU is the responsibility of the Cultural and Religious History Group, which is part of the History cluster in the Faculty of Humanities' Department of Art & Culture, History, and Antiquity. By combining various fields, source types and methods, our group works to develop new insights into historical processes, ideas, and practices. Some members choose in-depth research, whilst others go for a long-term perspective, examining the shaping of canons and the history of knowledge and science. We aim to problematize traditional breakpoints, for instance between the Middle Ages and Early Modern Times, or between religion and science, politics and emotions, economy and culture. Long-term research of cultural history also challenges us to develop and employ innovative digital research methods.